Hogwarts Mystery: Novelization
by Sen8ter
Summary: The novelization of my Hufflepuff main character, Zachary Thomas, in the mobile game Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery. (Also on AO3)
1. Diagon Alley

I awake to the sound of a door closing. Mom's home. Yay! I can give her the good news!

I sit up on the couch and yawn, stretching my arms above my head.

She walks into the living room and notices me. "Oh, sorry honey! I thought you'd be in bed by now."

"I was asleep, just not in bed," I quip.

"You didn't have to wait up for me to get home, Zach." She goes to the kitchen counter and sets her stuff down.

"I know, but I wanted to give you the good news myself," I say hopefully.

"Can it wait till morning? I'm really tired," she asks.

"I don't want to wait till morning," I answer her. "Plus, you'll love it and go to bed happy," I add.

She sighs. "Alright, Zach. But be quick."

I reach under the pillow I was on and take out my envelope. "Look what came in the mail!" I say showing it off to her.

She rushes over to me. "What's it say?"

I open the letter inside as she kneels down in front of me. "Dear Zachary Thomas, congratulations! You've been accepted into- "

She pulls me into a tight hug and squeals in glee. "Oh, sweetie, that's wonderful news, indeed! I'm so proud of you!" She kisses my forehead then lets go of me. "You're going to have to go to Diagon Alley by yourself," she tells me. "I won't be able to get out of work before the shops close."

"Ok, mum. I'll go tomorrow afternoon."

"Great, honey. Now get to bed."

The bricks part on Diagon Alley and I enter in awe. So many shops. I notice a girl coming up to me.

"Hi! I'm Rowan Khanna!" She holds out her hand for a handshake and I oblige. "Are you getting ready to start at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry too?" She asks.

We unclasp as I reply, "Yeah, but I haven't been here in years. I don't even remember where to start."

She perks up. "I can help! I've been reading _Hogwarts: A History_ in anticipation of my first year, so I'm a bit of an expert on Hogwarts." She points down the alley. "You should start by finding all the books you need at Flourish and Blotts. Come one! I'll take you there!" She mentions to follow her.

Better to have help than be all alone.

"Great!" I reply. "Lead the way!" We head toward the store.

"So, what's your name?" Rowan asks me.

"Zachary Thomas. Zach for short." I answer.

"You said that you haven't been here in years." She starts.

"I came with my family when my older brother was accepted eight years ago." I answer before she even asks. "I was too young to remember anything about this place."

"Oh, well, you're here now!" she chuckles. "Here we are," we stop in front of the store. "Flourish and Blotts. Home for all your magic textbook needs." She walks ahead of me. "Come on! I already know where everything is. Just follow me!"

I follow her to the door. She opens it for me, and I give her my thanks as I walk into the biggest bookstore I've ever seen. I stare in awe as the rows of books, stack upon stack of books fill the store.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Rowan asks. "This is my heaven." She takes my arm. "This way!"

After we exit the shop with our books, we head to another shop.

"My parents gave me enough to buy a little accessory for the winter months," Rowan tells me. "What do you think I should get?" she asks.

"Hmm…Get a scarf," I answer. "That way, you can keep your face warm."

"That's a good idea! I'm going to get that. You, meanwhile, should go to Ollivander's to get your wand!" she points to the store.

"Alright, Rowan. See you later!" I head off to the store.

I enter the store and walk up to the counter where a man is waiting.

"Hello," he says. "I'm Garrick Ollivander. Here to receive your first wand, yes?"

I nod.

"I have just the thing." He pulls out a wand from under the counter. "Applewood wand, dragon heartstring core, nine inches, rigid." Handing it to me he says, "Go on. Give it a twirl!"

I take the wand and give it a twirl. Papers that were on the counter beside him begin to twirl around me. That did not go as planned. The papers cease twirling and reside on the door.

I look up apologetically, "Sorry!" I say handing the wand back.

He muses, "That's ok. It's not your fault." He takes it back. "The wand chooses the witch, and that is clearly not the wand for you." He returns it under the counter. "I recall your brother exploded my favorite inkpot when we tried his first wand," he reminisces with a slight chuckle.

I gasp. "You knew Jacob?"

"I remember every wand I've sold. His was maple wood, dragon heartstring core, ten inches," he answers with a slight smile. He's answered that one before. "A fine wand." His smile fades as he continues, "Shame it was snapped it in half when he got expelled." He looks at me sympathetically, "I understand he ran away from home after being expelled and has been missing ever since. That must have a profound impact on you."

I look down. "Yeah… We would have such a smashing time together when he was home. Told me stories about the wonders of Hogwarts and magic. Mum and I are worried for him. I just hope he's ok."

"Hmm…" Ollivander ponders on my statement. He heads to the back storeroom. "I may have just the wand for you." He rummages through the different drawers all around him. "Ah! Here we go!" He takes a wand out of a drawer, closes it, and walks back to me. "Acacia wand, unicorn hair, twelve inches, pliable." He hands it to me. "Try it out."

I take the wand, step back, and give it a twirl. Glittery sparkles spin around me, giving me a slight tickle to giggle from.

He perks up. "Splendid! That wand is yours!"

I step up to the counter still smiling and check out. "Thank you very much!"

"My pleasure, Zachary. I'll look forward to seeing what path you choose."

With that, I exit the shop. Just in time too. I see Rowan walking towards me with a brand-new colorful scarf.

"Hey, Zach, what do you think of my new scarf?" she asks.

"It suits you well," I answer. "I like the colorful pattern."

"Thanks!" she smiles. "I just might have to go to you for all my fashion advice."

I shake my head. "That won't be necessary, Rowan. I'm sure there will be more fashionable students there." I hold up my new wand. "Look what I got!"

"Is that an Acacia wand?" she gasps.

I bring it back hesitantly. "Yes… How did you know?"

"My family's tree farm supplies wood for wands and brooms," she replies smiling. I relax as she continues, "I didn't want to go outside and farm, so I stayed inside reading all the time. Love reading." Her smile fades and focuses her gaze on the ground behind me. "Even though that's why I have no friends."

Aww… I don't have friends either.

"We can be friends," I tell her.

She looks at me questioning. "You don't think I'm too weird?" she asks. "People think I'm too weird staying inside all day."

I return the questioning stare. "Why would anyone call you weird?" I ask. "Reading is fun. That's how I put up with the comments about me."

"Wait, what comments?" she asks.

Oh, great. Here we go. "My older brother is Jacob Thomas." I tell her.

"The same Jacob Thomas from that massive story in the _Daily Prophet_?" she gasps.

"Yep," I nod.

"It said he got expelled for breaking school rules trying to find the cursed vaults."

"Yeah, he got expelled."

"What's he doing now?" she asks.

"I don't know," I reply. "He ran away. Mum and I haven't seen him since."

"Everyone is going to know about that."

Great, Rowan. Keep kicking me while I'm down. "I know! That's why they will call me weird!"

"Well…" she pauses. "We can be weird together!"

I perk up, "Really?"

"Yeah!" she replies. "We are going to be friends after all, right?"

"Of course!" I answer.

"Then let's be weird friends together!" she smiles.

"Great!" I return the smile. "Thanks, Rowan."

"No problem, new friend!" she says. "I should get going."

"Ok, Rowan." I wave. "See you on the express!"

She waves back, "See you soon!"


	2. Train Station Platform

I emerge from the wall onto Platform 9 ¾. It's a bit darker than the sunlit station I came from. There's the end of the Platform so the train must be around this corner…

Oh my gosh! She's beautiful!

_The Hogwarts Express_ steams proudly as her cars are being filled with luggage and passengers while families wave goodbye from the Platform.

Mom enters and comes up behind me, putting her hands on my shoulders. "There she is, Zach," she says. "_The Hogwarts Express_." As if on cue, the train steams.

"Is it smiling at me?" I ask. "I feel like it's smiling at me."

Mom gives my shoulders a little rub, saying, "She does that. I felt the same way my first time." She lets go of my shoulders. "Come on. I have to get back to work."

I push my cart along side her as we head to the luggage line. "I wonder if Rowan is on board," I say.

"She sounds like she's going to be a good friend of yours," Mom says. "I hope the stares will be too much for you."

"Don't worry, Mom," I tell her. "I'll be fine. If it's anything like Jacob said, I'll have plenty to do."

We hand off my luggage to be loaded and mom pulls me aside. "Listen," she says kneeling. "Please do not get into trouble. Ignore the rumors about you. Focus on your studies and stand by your friends. I can't have you be expelled, too. Promise me, you'll stay safe."

I nod. "I promise to keep me and my friends safe."

With a smile, she pulls me into a hug, and I return them both. "I love you, Zach," she says.

"I love you, too, mom."

She lets me go and stands. "I expect an owl once a month, ok?"

"You'll get a love letter every month, mom," I reply.

She smiles, "Thanks, honey."

We hug once more before I go and board the train.

As I enter the train car, my ears fill with the sounds of students chatting about, what I assume, their summers. I ignore them to look for Rowan. Knowing how excited she is, she's probably in the first compartment.

Traveling down the train, I pretend not to notice when it gets a little quieter after I pass open compartments. Better get used to the stares now. Wait till the selection ceremony; that'll get their attention.

I reach the first compartment and peer inside to find Rowan sitting as happy as she can be. She looks my way before I even knock on the door frame.

"Hey, Zach!" she waves.

I return the wave, saying, "Hi, Rowan!" Moving to sit in front of her, I ask, "How long have you been here?"

"Since 9:00! I can't wait to get there!" she beams, practically bouncing in her seat.

"I can see that. Don't strain yourself, ok? We're not even there yet."

"I'm going to be fine, Zach," she reassures me. "This is the first time in a long while that I've wanted to get out of the house."

I nod slightly, "I understand."

A voice sounds over the speaker, "Please take your seats. _The Hogwarts Express_ is about to depart."

Here we go.

Rowan perks up,"This is going to be the best time ever!"


	3. The Hogwarts Express

"I would ask what are you most excited about, Rowan, but I have a feeling you are going to say-"

"Everything!" she finishes my sentence. "I've been wanted to go to Hogwarts for as long as I can remember! To learn at the best magic school is a dream come true!"

I just smile at my new friend.

She takes notice to that. "What's so funny?" she asks.

I shake my head slightly. "Nothing," I tell her. "You are just way more excited than I am."

She gives me a questioningly face. "You're not excited?"

"I am, just not as you," I reply. "I'm preparing myself for the stares and rumors."

"Hey," she says getting up, "don't get discouraged." She sits next to me. "I'll always have your back, ok? You have my back, and I have yours. We're in this together, ok?"

"Thanks, Rowan."

She pulls me into a hug, which I return.

I pull out of the embrace and look out the window. Rolling hills. Luscious green grass. Sky blue as ever. Little fluffy white clouds. Yeah, she's right. With Rowan by my side, we will take on the school together.

"So," Rowan says, pulling out of my daze, "the article didn't get into why Jacob went mad." I look at her as she continues. "Are you ok with my asking?"

I return to the window. I guess it's better if she did know. It's not like it's a secret or anything. But I… oh why not. Just tell her, Zach.

"I can only tell you what I do know. Let me start with this." I take a deep breath and turn to her.

"While I was looking at Jacob growing up, he was looking up at dad. Jacob loved dad probably more than anything, even mom and I. Dad was one of the few muggles who was fascinated with magic. I remember one time where dad said that he wished he had magic. So when Jacob started showing a knack for magic, dad was overjoyed.

"I was born the year before Jacob started Hogwarts. I still remember the look on dad's face when I displayed my first magic quality. I don't remember much of dad, but what I do remember is good.

"That changed when five years ago. Dad had a heart attack and died. Mom and I was sad by his passing. Jacob on the other hand was angry. They let him come home for a week to mourn with us. But I think it just made him angrier. He thought there was some spell that could reverse it. Get dad back. He hated that there was nothing to be done. He wasn't angry in front of me, but I heard the arguments with mom late at night. He loved dad so much that he said that he was willing to give up magic to get dad back.

"Then he started his search. The search took over him. He didn't come home for Christmas. He wrote to us saying he found something that will save Hogwarts. When his expulsion letter arrived, it destroyed mom and I. When he came home, mom tried to calm him down. But to no avail. Mom knew Jacob need to grieve, but he just wanted to search. Jacob was only home a week when he ran away. When you see your mother wailing over a letter written by your brother who ran away, it takes a toll on you. Even worse, with Jacob gone, I had no one. Sure, I had mom, but she had to work to keep the house we lived in. It was difficult, yes, but we made it work."

I take a sigh and return my gaze at her. She pulls me into an embrace again. "If you ever need to talk, I'm here for you," she says."

I hug her tighter, saying, "Thanks, Rowan."

A knock on the door catches out attention and we look towards it just as a lady opens the door. She motions to the cart full of goodies in front of her saying, "Anything from the trolly, my dears?"

I reach into my pocket and take out a galleon. "One chocolate frog, please," I reply, standing.

"I'll take…"

Rowan trails off as we hear some sort of commotion from down the car. When I get to the door, I look down the train car.

There are other kids looking out their compartments and they lead to a girl standing in the doorway of the last compartment at the end of the car.

"Excuse me," I say to the lady, pushing the cart out of my way.

I head to the girl. She's laughing and pointing into the compartment she's standing in front of. I hear the remnants of her taunt, "…you disgusting mudblood!" She leans down in mockery. "Aw, is he gonna cry?" She leans back. "Look at that everyone! Mudblood here is a crybaby!"

I finally reach her. "What's going on here?" I ask defiantly.

She looks at me, "Can't you tell?" She points inside again. "This mudblood is a crybaby who doesn't belong at Hogwarts!"

I look inside the compartment and see others laughing at a boy curled up in his seat, shying away from the others. I turn back to the bully and ask, "Why are you picking on him?"

"Because mudbloods don't belong at Hogwarts," she scoffs.

"Says who?" I ask.

She's taken aback by that. "What do you mean 'Says who?' Says me and everyone else in this compartment!"

"Well I'm sorry to say, missy, but you do not have a say in the matter." I go inside the compartment to the boy. I kneel in front of him, so he sees my face. "Hey, there," I say softly. "Are these meanies picking on you?"

He doesn't say a word; just nods very slightly.

I reach out my hand and ask, "How about you come with me and sit with my friend and me? How about that? Wanna move away from these bullies?"

He nods a little harder this time and takes my hand. I help him up and we walk out of the compartment. The girl tries to stop us. "You can't just take him!"

I stare straight at her. "Watch me."

We move past her and down the car to our compartment. I stop just before it and tell the boy to go ahead inside. While he passes me, I glare at the girl back at the other compartment. I turn around and get my frog from the lady. "Thank you!" I smile at her before heading inside. I turn around again and look out the door one last time at the girl before closing and locking the door.

The boy stands in the center of the room looking at me. "Here," I say handing him the frog. "You can have this." He takes it. I motion around the room, saying, "Sit anywhere you want." He take the seat in front of Rowan and begins to open the wrapper surrounding the frog. I take a seat beside Rowan.

He's not curling up into a ball, so I guess that's a good sign. He's just not looking at us.

"Let me introduce myself," I say. "I'm Zachary, but you can call me Zach."

"I'm Rowan."

"What's your name?" I ask him.

He still doesn't look at me, but I hear him say, "Ben."

"Ben?" Rowan asks.

Now he looks at us. "Ben," he says with a bit more confidence. "Ben Copper."

"It's nice to meet you, Ben," I say.

"You're a muggle-born?" Rowan asks.

"Yeah," Ben starts, "my parents are no-majs."

"My dad was a no-maj," I tell him.

"Was?" Ben asks.

"Yeah," I reply. "Was. He died."

"What happened?"

"Heart attack. Very quick. Very fast. There was nothing we could do."

He goes back to the frog.

I should probably tell him about Jacob. I glance at Rowan who looks back. She shrugs slightly while motioning to Ben with her head. I think she's telling me to tell him.

…Yeah let's tell him.

"Hey, Ben, there's something I should tell you." He looks back at me. I continue, "My name is Zachary Thomas. Brother of Jacob Thomas."

He looks at me questioningly, "Who?"

My turn for the looks of questions. "You don't know who my brother is?"

He shakes his head, "No, I don't. Sorry."

"That's ok, Ben."

Rowan chimes in, "Do you read _The Daily Prophet_? The wizarding world's newspaper?"

Ben shakes his head again. "The news scares me. It's full of scary stuff."

I don't want to go through the entire story again. Let's just cover the basics, shall we? Plus, it might scare him. Jacob did go mad after all.

"My brother went mad on a search for something called the Cursed Vaults. He thought they're at Hogwarts somewhere."

He looks down. Great, I scared him. "What are the Cursed Vaults?" he asks.

"No idea," I reply. "Jacob thought they were at Hogwarts. He broke school rules trying to find them and got expelled. Then he ran away to go searching for them." I lean forward a little bit. "I want to stress, Ben, that I'm not Jacob. I promise not to go mad. If you need a friend to talk to, I'll be there."

He looks back at me. After a moment, he says, "Okay." He looks out the window, eating his frog.

I look back at Rowan.

Let's hope I don't scare him to leave.


End file.
